Welcome to the June edition of the Tandridge Independent!
Wow – halfway through the year already….where does the time go? So much has happened in the first six months of 2022, and a look back through the papers we’ve printed is a helpful reminder of all the great things going on in our district, and the amazing people that make them happen.
Speaking of which, I stopped by Soper Hall in May and visited their new coffee morning that is being put on to allow Tandridge’s Ukrainian guests to socialise and get to know the area. It was lovely to meet some of them and find out more about how they’re settling in. Our website is constantly being updated with events and activities that are available for our visitors and their hosts, so if you’re looking for support or advice, please take a look.
Tandridge talent
As you may have seen on the front page this month, we were fortunate enough to have been granted an audience with fabulous Britain’s Got Talent stars, The Dots. If you saw their first audition, back in May, you’ll know that it didn’t quite go to plan, although Simon and the rest of the judging panel sent them through to the next round anyway. When we realised that the lovely Rosé hailed from Oxted, and ousted member Kathy had strong links to Dormansland, we knew we had to find out more about them. Reporter Rosalind spoke to them both, along with The Dots’ founder, Amanda, and discovered exactly why their routine went disasterously wrong!
Local news
Our work experience student, Sophie Denny, writes about her campaign to bring better road safety to Bletchingley, after being hit by a car there in March. We meet a man who is saving old bicycles from landfill, and Tandridge Voluntary Action helps local organisations say thank you during Volunteers’ Week.
We’re also bringing you details of an important fundraising effort by a family from Hurst Green. Ruben died from dilated cardiomyopathy in January, at just three-and-a-half months’ old, and his parents Charlotte and Patrick are aiming to fund a £200k research project to help other babies and children suffering from the same condition. Details are at the end of the article; please donate if you are able to.
New columnist!
We’d like to say a big hello to our newest columnist Neil Miller, who is the head gardener at Hever Castle, and each month will be giving us his gardening tasks and tips for the weeks ahead. His first column is all about roses, and the accompanying photos show blooms so beautiful you can almost smell them!
Gina Nicolas, from EJ Coombs Solicitors, looks at the cost of living crisis for separated couples, Steve Messenbird from Blue Turtle Coaching and Mentoring is asking us all to be kind, and Tutor Your Child tells us why education is a life-long journey. And that’s just a few of the articles we have for you!
Busy times ahead
Anybody with young children will be aware of just how quickly we are heading towards the end of the school year, and how busy these final weeks always are. Trips, concerts, sports days, fairs and parties: there’s always another form to fill in, ticket to be paid for or cakes to make (or, more likely in my case, bought!). I’ve got three children who need organising, equipping and taxiing to various places on a daily basis, and if you add to that a 20-page paper to produce every month, you’ll understand how fast my days fly by! (Oh, and that's not even mentioning the turbo on my car that decided to pack up a few weeks ago, leaving me without transport and with an expensive repair bill…)
So, with that in mind, I’m bringing you advance warning that I’ve decided to give myself – and my team – a little break over the summer: we are already working on July’s paper but we won’t be printing in August. We all need a few weeks to step back and breathe, and spend time with our families…but don’t worry, we’ll be back, better than ever, in September!
Have a great month, and I’ll see you in July.
